Matthew pediu o divórcio de Anne quando ela não conseguiu lhe dar um filho, mas ele ainda morava na casa deles. Um dia, ela conheceu Harry, um velho amigo da escola, e eventualmente percebeu o quanto ela era melhor sem Matthew. Anos depois, Anne acidentalmente encontrou seu ex-marido e não conseguiu reconhecê-lo.
“Meu Deus! Harry! É tão bom ver você!” Anne exclamou quando acidentalmente tropeçou em sua antiga amiga de escola na rua. Ela havia deixado suas cinco meninas com sua mãe, uma rara folga para ela, e queria tomar um café nas ruas de Seattle.
“Anne, é adorável ver você também! Ei, você gostaria de tomar um café e colocar o papo em dia?” Harry respondeu, e ela assentiu imediatamente. Eles foram até o café e conversaram até que Harry perguntou sobre a família dela.
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“Ah… esse é realmente um assunto difícil”, ela começou.
“Bem, criar cinco filhos não é fácil para ninguém”, comentou Harry, conhecendo um pouco dela pelas redes sociais e coisas do tipo.
“Matthew? O que você está fazendo aqui?” ela perguntou, olhando para o uniforme dele e para a bandeja de pretzels.
“Sim, claro. Isso é difícil. Mas é mais do que isso”, Anne continuou. “Matthew mudou depois do nascimento dos nossos gêmeos. Eles têm 9 anos e mal falam com o pai. Acho que eles têm medo dele.”
“Não entendo”, disse Harry.
“Matthew queria um menino, e nós esperávamos, mas tivemos duas lindas meninas em vez disso. É por isso que engravidamos várias vezes, mas continuamos tendo meninas. Depois que nossa quinta filha nasceu, Matthew se tornou outro homem. Ele pediu o divórcio, e eu não sei o que vou fazer”, Anne explicou sobre seu marido, sua mão enxugando o suor que se formava em sua testa.
“Uau. Isso é duro. Mas pense nisso, você estará melhor sem ele, certo? Quero dizer, se ele não tem falado com suas filhas mais velhas, então ele não pode ter sido o melhor pai para o resto. Você já as criou sozinha”, Harry encorajou. “E agora que estou em Seattle permanentemente, eu poderia ajudar. Você poderia se mudar para morar comigo.”
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O queixo de Anne caiu. Ela não esperava tal oferta de Harry, especialmente porque eles tinham acabado de se encontrar novamente depois de muitos anos. Mas ela sabia na escola que ele sempre teve uma grande queda por ela. Ainda assim, aquela oferta era muito generosa e gentil. Ela não podia aceitar. Ela mudou de assunto, e eles conversaram sobre sua vida bem-sucedida.
Enquanto isso, as coisas na casa dela pioraram ainda mais nas semanas seguintes. Eles estavam se divorciando, mas Matthew ainda morava com ela, agindo como se fosse solteiro, festejando, fazendo barulho em horas estranhas, acordando as meninas e sendo uma ameaça para elas.
Anne falava com Harry o tempo todo, e sua oferta ainda estava de pé. Mas quando Matthew decidiu levar uma garota para a casa conjugal, Anne estava farta. Ela ligou para Harry, fez as malas e saiu de casa com todas as garotas.
O divórcio deles ficou mais complicado quando ela levou Matthew ao tribunal para ter sua casa grande de volta. Apesar de ela morar na casa de Harry, seu futuro ex-marido não merecia ficar com sua casa grande. O juiz concedeu todos os seus pedidos com base no estilo de vida horrível de Matthew e deu a ela a custódia total sem questionar.
Eventualmente, ela e Harry se apaixonaram, e ele comprou uma casa ainda maior para a família. Quando ela e as meninas se mudaram para a casa dele, ela colocou a casa para alugar e parou de pensar em Matthew por muitos anos.
***
Um ano depois de se casar com Harry, Anne teve seu filho, Alan, que era o menino mais lindo do mundo, e ele tinha cinco irmãs mais velhas adorando-o a todo momento. Anne não poderia estar mais feliz.
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Mais tempo passou, e um dia, ela pegou Alan na pré-escola e decidiu passar no shopping para comprar sapatos novos para ele. As meninas estavam ocupadas com suas atividades extracurriculares, então eram apenas mãe e filho.
Anne nunca imaginou que encontraria Matthew ali. Ele estava trabalhando na loja de pretzels, encarregado de distribuir amostras grátis no shopping, e Alan correu até ele pedindo algumas.
“Alan, não fuja de mim desse jeito”, ela disse a ele antes de ver de relance os olhos surpresos de Matthew.
“Ana?”
“Matthew? O que você está fazendo aqui?” ela perguntou, olhando para o uniforme dele e para a bandeja de pretzels. Não fazia sentido. Matthew trabalhava em um escritório como executivo. Ele ganhava uma quantia decente de dinheiro. Ele era obrigado a pagar toneladas de pensão alimentícia, mas ele nunca pagava, e Anne não se importava. Ela tinha mais do que o suficiente para suas meninas. Mas ele não seria capaz de pagar o que era exigido com um emprego de salário mínimo no shopping.
“Estou trabalhando aqui”, ele disse e olhou para o garoto segurando-a com uma mão e mastigando um pretzel com a outra. “Este é seu filho?”
Apenas para fins ilustrativos | Fonte: Pexels
“Sim, este é Alan”, respondeu Anne, sentindo um orgulho intenso por ter um filho que não era dele. “Ele é filho de Harry.”
“Oh, prazer em conhecê-lo, Alan”, disse Matthew, olhando para baixo e dando ao garoto um olhar estranho. Claro, não foi culpa de Anne ter dado à luz meninas. O esperma determina o sexo, e todo mundo sabe disso. Mas Matthew decidiu culpá-la por anos e desistiu do casamento porque queria um menino, como se o gênero fosse importante.
Felizmente, as meninas agora tinham uma figura paterna de verdade, graças a Harry, que as amou profundamente desde o primeiro momento em que se conheceram. Elas não precisavam dele, e Anne nunca precisou vê-lo.
“Escute, Anne. Eu não queria perguntar isso agora. Eu queria te levar para tomar um café ou algo assim. Mas estou desesperado. Perdi tudo devido ao meu estilo de vida, e estava pensando se poderíamos vender nossa antiga casa”, Matthew perguntou, com a cabeça baixa de vergonha.
“Oh… bem, atualmente está sendo alugado. Mas vou pensar sobre isso”, disse Anne. “Temos que ir agora. Vou te ligar sobre a casa.”
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Ela agarrou a mão de Alan com força e se afastou do homem que não sabia o que tinha jogado fora. Mas ela seria a pessoa maior. Ela vendeu a casa e deu a ele metade do valor, embora legalmente ela pudesse ficar com tudo. Mas algo em seu intestino lhe disse para fazer a coisa certa.
Por fim, Matthew pediu para ver as meninas, mas nenhuma delas queria isso. As gêmeas eram adolescentes que passaram a odiá-lo, e o resto seguiu os passos das irmãs mais velhas. Matthew parou de perguntar sobre elas e parou de ligar depois de um tempo. Elas nunca mais o viram. Ele não era da família.
O que podemos aprender com essa história?
- Família é mais do que apenas DNA. Matthew não queria ser pai de seus filhos, e Harry se levantou pelas meninas.
- Você pode se arrepender de suas ações. Matthew perdeu tudo, incluindo seu emprego bem pago, e estava claro que ele se arrependeu do que fez, mas não conseguiu voltar atrás.
Compartilhe esta história com seus amigos. Pode alegrar o dia deles e inspirá-los.
Se você gostou desta história, talvez goste desta sobre uma mulher que adotou uma criança e descobriu algo chocante.
Este relato é inspirado na história do nosso leitor e escrito por um escritor profissional. Qualquer semelhança com nomes ou locais reais é mera coincidência. Todas as imagens são apenas para fins ilustrativos.
My Neighbor Vanished and Everyone Pretended Nothing Happened Until I Found Out What She Was Hiding — Story of the Day
I thought I’d found peace in my new neighborhood, but when my only friend vanished, and everyone pretended nothing happened, I knew this place had secrets—and I wasn’t sure I wanted to uncover them.
Moving to the quiet, gated neighborhood felt like walking into a dream—or so I thought. The streets were lined with pristine hedges, white picket fences, and houses that looked like they belonged in a lifestyle magazine.
“This is it,” I whispered, clutching the keys. “A fresh start.”
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Inside, the house was everything I’d hoped for—spacious, quiet, and untouched. Sunlight streamed through the windows, painting golden streaks on the hardwood floors. Yet, as I unpacked, an uneasy feeling crept over me, like I was being watched.
“Get a grip, Clara,” I muttered, shaking my head.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I peeked through the blinds. Across the street, a man stood at his window, staring. He didn’t look away, even when our eyes met. His gaze felt invasive, as though he could see through me.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“Who does that?” I whispered, drawing the curtains.
The next day, I met Victoria. Her voice broke the silence as I fumbled with grocery bags.
“You must be new!” she said brightly, walking toward me.
“I am,” I replied, startled.
“Don’t worry,” she said, smiling. “I’m Victoria. Welcome to the neighborhood.”
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“Clara,” I said, shaking her hand.
“Let me guess,” she said with a smirk. “Collin’s been watching?”
I nodded, and she laughed softly.
“Don’t let him scare you. He’s odd, but harmless.”
Victoria became a lifeline, her warmth and charm a welcome distraction.
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But as our friendship grew, so did Collin’s attention. He wasn’t just watching from his window anymore. He lingered near my mailbox, paced the sidewalk, and stood on his porch as if waiting.
One evening, unable to bear being alone with him lurking outside, I called Victoria. “Want to come over for dinner?”
“Of course! I’ll bring wine.”
Her presence immediately put me at ease. Over dinner, I found the courage to open up.
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“So, why this neighborhood?” she asked, refilling our glasses.
“I’m leaving my husband. David. He’s a tyrant,” I admitted. “While the divorce is in process, I’m hiding here. People think he’s perfect, but no one would believe me.”
“Oh, honey…”
“No, I need to explain. This is him,” I said, showing her a photo.
Victoria’s fingers tightened on her glass. The warmth in her eyes vanished.
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“Are you okay?”
“He looks familiar, that’s all.”
The rest of the evening felt strained, though she tried to brush it off.
“Don’t worry, Clara,” she said. “Your secrets are safe with me.”
I wanted to believe her. For the first time in months, I felt lighter.
But the next morning, Victoria disappeared. Across the street, Collin stood on his porch, watching.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
***
No one spoke about Victoria, not even in passing. Her absence was like a ripple that vanished before it reached the shore. It was eerie, like she had been erased.
“Maybe that’s just how people are in small towns,” I muttered, watching Mrs. Peterson water her flowers, completely unbothered.
I wanted to ask her, mention Victoria’s name, and see if she reacted, but I stopped myself.
What if it makes me look nosy? Or worse, suspicious?
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The silence about her disappearance struck me as strange. You’d expect at least a comment from someone as lively and charming as Victoria. But there was nothing.
One evening, after pacing my living room for what felt like hours, I made a decision.
“I need answers,” I whispered, grabbing my coat.
The sun had just set as I approached Victoria’s house. Her curtains were drawn, and the porch light flickered faintly. Everything felt wrong. Too still, too empty. I hesitated at the door, then reached for the handle.
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“Just a quick look. In and out.”
The door creaked open easily, as though it hadn’t been locked. Inside, the faint scent of her perfume lingered.
The living room looked untouched. Books sat on the coffee table, and a teacup rested on the counter, its contents dried into a dark stain. It was like she’d vanished mid-day.
My eyes landed on a photo on the mantel: Victoria with a young boy, about eight, with a mischievous grin. Something about his face tugged at my memory.
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“Why does he look familiar?” I murmured, brushing the frame.
Before I could think further, the sound of the front door creaking open froze me in place. My heart pounded as footsteps echoed through the house.
Panicking, I darted into a narrow closet, pressing my hands over my mouth to stay silent.
Through the slats, I saw Victoria step into the room.
Why is she sneaking around her own house?
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The answer came when I saw who was with her.
David. My husband!
Seeing him with Victoria sent a wave of nausea through me.
“She’s living next door,” Victoria said. “You need to deal with this before she ruins everything.”
David nodded, his face dark and calculating, the same look I’d seen so many times behind closed doors.
My chest tightened. My husband and my friend, conspiring together. And the person they were plotting against… was me.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
***
I felt the walls of the closet closing in. My breaths came fast and shallow, each one sharper than the last. The darkness around me felt suffocating.
Panic clawed at my chest, threatening to unravel me completely. I gritted my teeth, trying to stay still, trying not to make a sound.
I can’t stay here.
My fingers trembled as I clutched the edge of the closet door, waiting for the right moment.
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Finally, their voices faded, replaced by the sound of their footsteps moving to another room.
“Now,” I whispered to myself, summoning every ounce of courage I had left.
I slipped out of the closet as quietly as I could. Each step toward the back door felt like it took an eternity. I gripped the doorknob, turned it slowly, and pushed the door open just enough to slip through.
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The cool night air hit me like a slap, but I didn’t have time to savor it. I took one step toward freedom…
And a hand clamped down on my arm.
“Gotcha,” a voice hissed.
My stomach dropped as I spun around.
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***
“Shh, quiet. Come with me,” a voice whispered urgently in the darkness.
Then I turned, startled, to see Collin—my strange, unsettling neighbor, standing just a few feet away.
“Collin?”
“Move,” he said quietly, gripping my arm. “Now.”
I hesitated, but there was something in his tone that left no room for argument. I followed him as he led me through a narrow, hidden gap in the fence into his yard.
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Once inside his house, Collin bolted the door and flipped the lock. His movements were brisk and deliberate. He handed me a glass of water.
“Sit,” he said, gesturing to a chair.
I sank into it, my legs barely able to hold me up. The glass trembled in my hands as I took a sip. My mind was spinning, trying to piece together what had just happened.
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“You need to stay here for now,” he said, peeping out his window. “Victoria and your husband are headed to your place.”
“Why… why would they…”
He raised a hand to stop me. “I’ll explain, but first, breathe. You look like you’re about to pass out.”
I took a shaky breath, but it didn’t help much. “Why are you helping me?”
“Because Victoria is my ex-wife,” he said flatly as if that explained everything.
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“What?!”
“She made my life hell for years,” Collin continued, his tone bitter but calm. “I stuck around for the sake of our son, but she turned him into… her.”
He paused, his eyes flickering with something close to regret. “Manipulative. Controlling. A little carbon copy of herself.”
I stared at him. “What are you saying?”
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He looked at me with pity. “That boy… is your David. Victoria is his mother.”
The room spun. I gripped the edge of the chair, feeling like the ground was falling out from under me.
“No. That can’t be true.”
He paused, his eyes narrowing as if remembering something.
“When I saw you start a friendship with Victoria, I got worried. My ex-wife doesn’t make friends just for the sake of it. She’s always playing some angle, and I knew there had to be more to it.”
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I blinked, trying to process his words. “So, you’ve been watching me?”
He nodded without a hint of apology. “Yeah. When Victoria gets involved with someone, the reason’s never good. I wasn’t sure what she wanted from you. When I saw you sneaking into her house, I knew something was off.”
“You saw me?”
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“Of course, I saw you,” he said, his tone sharp but not unkind. “I followed you. Then I heard them. David came because of his wife, because of you! But how did Victoria find the connection between you and David?”
“David’s photo… I showed it to Victoria. That’s why she disappeared!”
Collin frowned. “I see. That’s why I couldn’t let you go back to your house alone. Victoria is dangerous, Clara. She’s manipulative and ruthless. You’re a target for her.”
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I stared at him, my pulse pounding in my ears. His words made too much sense. Victoria had been so warm, so charming, but it was all a game to her. The weight of his words pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe.
“What can I do now? I escaped from David here. But thanks to Victoria, he could find me.” I finally whispered, tears stinging my eyes.
“Don’t worry. I’ve already called the police. They’ll be here soon. And trust me, David never hurt you again.”
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His humor, absurd as it was, somehow broke through my fear.
“You’re taking this awfully lightly,” I said, managing a weak smile as I wiped my face.
“Experience,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “When you’ve survived Victoria, you either find a sense of humor or go completely mad. I chose a little of both.”
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A laugh escaped me, startling in its loudness. It felt strange, laughing in the middle of chaos. But Collin’s strange blend of cynicism and kindness was exactly what I needed.
As the sound of sirens grew louder, Collin stood and gestured toward the door. “Time to face it, huh?”
I nodded, rising on shaky legs. “Yeah. Time to face it.”
I squared my shoulders, took a deep breath, and stepped outside. The flashing red and blue lights painted the night sky, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I felt ready to confront my past and leave it behind.
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